The preferences of the modern car buyer are so vastly different now than they were 40 years ago. It’s hard to imagine that there was actually a point in time where Chevrolet thought a fancy Camaro focused on luxury and technology would ever sell, but the 1984 Camaro Berlinetta was just that. While it’s still hard to conceive of any reason that someone would buy one, the latest MotorWeek Retro Review showcases some unique touches in the interior of the Camaro Berlinetta that were improved over the ‘82 model, and it actually really impressed me. What didn’t impress me, though, were the gussied-up alleged muscle car’s performance numbers.
History remembers the Chevrolet Camaro as a muscle car; a powerful, affordable, front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, blue-blooded stab at a performance car. It hasn’t always been that way. The early days of U.S. emissions regulations hamstrung the performance chops of most cars sold in the country, and the Camaro Berlinetta’s standard 2.8-liter V6 only produced a paltry 107 horsepower. That was barely enough power for a 14-second 0-to-60-mph “sprint,” despite being paired with the more efficient five-speed manual transmission option. But the V6 was only the base engine, and the Berlinetta was about more than just outright performance, so how did it fare as a personal luxury coupe?
Luxury? I wouldn’t describe the Berlinetta’s interior in this Retro Review as particularly luxurious, but it did have some innovative features. The most impressive touch that I believe would be beneficial to include in modern cars is the extendable control pods that are mounted around the perimeter of the gauge cluster. Dash-mounted control pods were all the rage in the ‘80s, but I never knew that some of them were adjustable. Especially when the steering wheel is adjustable making those important controls farther away from some drivers hands than others, why not make the controls telescope, too?
The swiveling stereo in this Berlinetta really blew my mind. Is the concept revolutionary? No, but prior to watching this review I didn’t know that such a thing ever existed, let alone 40 years ago. Both the adjustable control pods and the swiveling stereo look like they’ll break with more than five uses, but they’re still some pretty zany features that have actual ergonomic benefits. Especially compared to modern cars where many vital controls are hidden behind a series of touch-sensitive menus that require concentrated eye contact to use with any accuracy. But, if I had to choose between physical buttons and modern powertrains, I’d take modern powertrains any day. GM giveth and GM taketh away I suppose.